The Midwifery Council | Te Tatau o te Whare Kahu has published its policy about expanded practice within the midwifery scope of practice. From time to time the Council also publishes information about specific areas of approved expanded practice areas (e.g. abortion care).

Currently the College professional indemnity policy covers midwives who are practising within the midwifery scope of practice, as long as they are within the correct membership category. Therefore there may be implications for indemnity cover, if a midwife chooses to practise in an area that is determined by the Council to be outside of the midwifery scope of practice. We therefore recommend that midwives undertaking any work that may be seen as expanded practice within the midwifery scope of practice, to ensure that they are familiar with the Council’s policy on expanded practice and have met its requirements and:

• the expanded practice is already approved on the Midwifery Council’s website or,
• if it has not yet been considered by the Council, to personally contact the Council to seek such approval in writing

Professional indemnity cover will also require midwives to ensure they follow Council’s educational and other requirements to practise within and maintain competency within an expanded scope of midwifery practice.